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ft_c
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Hi all,
So, I've been trying to get my head straight about a luminiferous aether and have been reading about the experiment of Michelson and Morley. It seems there are many factors of SR that get in the way of this experiment actually producing any plausible results. I assume the whole point of the aether in the case of this experiment is that our measurements of the speed of light within it are in relation to a 'static' or 'stationary' aether itself.
The first problems are in reference to time dilation, if a body is moving through aether firing beams of light - let's say one straight ahead and one to the right (well... at those slightly off angles used to measure differences in time after reflection) - then:
a. the beam of light off to the right will have to travel further to reach the reflector, traveling through a stationary aether this will mean that it will take longer
b. the equipment being used at the time of firing the light will be at a different point in space and time when the light returns, creating artificial interference patterns
This may do for now! Other problems involve curvature of space-time around large gravitational bodies that could cause a significant amount of interference, or could possibly completely nullify the effects of the experiment (if aether is moving around the Earth in curved space-time). We may be in a nice little bubble of gravity.
Also, does anybody know what the actual results were from the experiment? Or is it all still a bit ... up in the air?? :)
Hope someone has some help and advice and can clear up this problem
Thanks very much!
Best
So, I've been trying to get my head straight about a luminiferous aether and have been reading about the experiment of Michelson and Morley. It seems there are many factors of SR that get in the way of this experiment actually producing any plausible results. I assume the whole point of the aether in the case of this experiment is that our measurements of the speed of light within it are in relation to a 'static' or 'stationary' aether itself.
The first problems are in reference to time dilation, if a body is moving through aether firing beams of light - let's say one straight ahead and one to the right (well... at those slightly off angles used to measure differences in time after reflection) - then:
a. the beam of light off to the right will have to travel further to reach the reflector, traveling through a stationary aether this will mean that it will take longer
b. the equipment being used at the time of firing the light will be at a different point in space and time when the light returns, creating artificial interference patterns
This may do for now! Other problems involve curvature of space-time around large gravitational bodies that could cause a significant amount of interference, or could possibly completely nullify the effects of the experiment (if aether is moving around the Earth in curved space-time). We may be in a nice little bubble of gravity.
Also, does anybody know what the actual results were from the experiment? Or is it all still a bit ... up in the air?? :)
Hope someone has some help and advice and can clear up this problem
Thanks very much!
Best
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